And once again, Chris and Meg Abad hosted a viewing party of epic proportions.

We drank beers, ate nachos, and yelled at the TV screen. We gaffawed at CNN’s silly graphics, played Palin Bingo, and chugged on a number of key phrases (“maverick,” “reform,” “change,” etc.).

And we worried about the future of the country. (I said to Chris at one point, “Yunno, I didn’t think anyone could top Bush’s folksy, down-home, faux-authenticity schtick. Tonight, I stand corrected.”)

Here’s my blow-by-blow as tapped into my Blackberry:

8:01 – Joe, buddy, too much makeup!

8:05 – Did she just wink into the camera?

8:09 – At least they’re making eye contact with each other.

8:10 – “Joe Six Pack?” Really?

8:14 – Darn, heckuva, gosh… Palin’s colloquialisms are getting old fast (though I imagine it’s playing well in my home state of Iowa).

8:16 – Biden’s got a comb-over AND a mullet. Two-for-one!

8:20 – I don’t like her glasses. I think if the K-Mart Optical Center every time. “There’s a blue-light special on Luxotica’s brand-new, high-fashion,light-weight Soho Line in the K-Mart Optical Center…” Except no one in Soho would wear those glasses. Only Alaska. Or Idaho, maybe Idaho. Not that there’s anything wrong with those states, just their taste in glasses.

8:24 – I find the candidate’s direct addressing of the camera extremely creepy.

8:26 – I’m beginning to think Mrs. Palin might be the spawn of Satan himself. Cuz if you were gonna bring evil into the world, wouldn’t you do it in the person of a skinny, white, bespectacled librarian who talks about soccer and “regular families” while drilling for oil in national parks, peddling perks to lobbyists,and generally dragging down the discourse of American politics?

9:33 – Oh jeez, she’s holding that baby again. And it’s sleeping, again. Why is it always sleeping? What does she put in its formula?

In the end, I think we all acknowledged that Mrs. Palin performed well. That is, she didn’t seem to say anything, or have much idea what she was saying, but she didn’t train wreck. There’s no denying that she’s charismatic, and oddly likable (much like a SuperSized Big Mac Meal: looks good, tastes good, bad for you).

Biden, while long-winded and a little detailed for general comprehension, seemed smart, experienced, and ready for the gig.

And so we called it a night, streamed out onto 55th Street, and scattered to our little corners of New York City, one step closer to performing our civic duty.

12 Responses to “Debate Night In Hell’s Kitchen”

Spawn of Satan…I am so with you there! I stayed up until 2:00 AM here to watch the debate and I did my fair share of shouting and swearing too at the TV.

The wrap-up afterwards here in the UK by the media was bad. They acted as if it was a draw …a draw in a debate with a woman who looks as if she was coached by a bunch of sales people. Having been in sales I know what I’m talking about. She only had a surface level awareness of what she was saying. Surely people can see that?

And the “Talibany ” comment was just one that no one here seemed to pick up on. She was one big “ole” sound bite of too many actions “wink, wink” that as a woman embarrass the hell out of me! How can anyone take her seriously. She’s a plastic caribou Barbie mouthing pat answers designed to appeal to people who don’t know enough about what’s happening in the world or why.

I’ll be interested to hear what the US media have to say. It’s 4:03 here and I’m afraid of what I’m going to hear later.

9:33 – Oh jeex, she’s holding that baby again. And it’s sleeping, again. Why is it always sleeping? What does she put in its formula?

SO funny! I almost choked on my lunch when I got to that line.

I can’t wait to see what Tina Fey does with last night’s debate performance on SNL this weekend. All of the folksy stuff is just begging to be mocked. I’d love to see a sketch with Palin & Bush where the entire conversation is folksy fluff and absolutely no substance – I doubt the SNL writers would have to dig too deep for inspiration on that one.

What was with the winks?!! I mean did she have something in her eye, or was playing up that whole “hot librarian” thing? Either way that woman is pure evil.
I love your play, by play. Especially 9:00. Hilarious.

Funny how the women are down on her when she’s no worse than that moron in office now and Dan Quayle. Funny how Hilary Clinton gets the same label — satan spawn — but she’s brilliant and accomplished deserves as much as Biden to be VP and even president.

All the stories about her style, her headbands, her hair yet you never read such stories about Bush’s nose hair or tie choice. Palin is scary but no scarier than Cheney, Quayle, Bush and various other male GOP politicians.

Thanks for your comment, Gloria! :) I can’t speak for women, or pundits, but would respond that a) glasses notwithstanding, I have no beef with her style b) my quips aren’t gender based; I’d say the same of a man, puppy or alligator spouting the same nonsense and c) while I’m no fan of Bush, Cheney, or Quayle, what seemed to distinguish them (at least the first two) is experience and intelligence. I think she’s dynamic, compelling and engaging; I just don’t agree with her values, and don’t think she has any idea what she’s talking about.

I absolutely beg to differ that Palin’s colloquialisms play well in Iowa. I know you didn’t mean it as a dig, but (we) Iowans tend to appreciate those who are genuine and educated, not those who pander with “aw, shucks” lines and generalizations. Give us some credit!
I, too, loved your line about her holding the baby….